Blantyre, Malawi, 22 February: The Football Association of Malawi (FAM) has disclosed that it will hold an executive indaba where among other things the issue of vacant nation soccer team coach vacant post will be thrashed out.
Malawi FA President, Walter Nyamilandu Manda told a local daily that the indaba will take this coming Saturday.

“We are meeting over the weekend and one of the items on the agenda is to look at the position of the national coach,” he said.

A local weekly reported last Saturday that the FA wants to employ an expatriate coach in an arrangement where government and the FA will have a fifty-fifty cost share in maintaining the coach’s salary.

Most of the coaches that have reportedly shown interest to take charge of the Flames reins are likely to ask for a hefty remuneration package which would not be affordable for government which foots the bill.

However the FA proposal for fifty-fifty cost share for expatriate coach salary has reportedly been forwarded to State President, Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika by Sports Ministry for his endorsement.

As the waiting game is on in April Africa Nations Championship starts then in June Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers will kick off. Malawi is in Group B where it will face Cameroon, Morocco, and Mauritius/Comoros Islands.

Nyamilandu conceded that time is not on the side of the Flames to kick start preparation in light of the upcoming assignments but was quick to assure the local soccer fraternity not to press a panic button.

“The delays are not doing us any favour.We need to make decision on whether we should continue waiting or discuss an alternative,” said Nyamilandu.

He disclosed that undisclosed number of high profiled international coaches have also shown interest in for the vacant post.
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However the Malawi FA chief has made it crystal clear to those that have thrown their hats in the ring that if they will be measured as not affordable for Malawi they should forget.

“We have long list of high-profile coaches that have expressed interest, but we cannot shortlist them because we cannot afford them.
“Unfortunately, we are not spoiled for choice like other countries such as South Africa and we will have to select within our means,” Nyamilandu added.

Malawi national soccer team has been without a permanent coach since July last year following the departure of Ernest Mtawali whose yearlong deal with the Malawi FA expired.